Six months of beauty empties
Speed reviews of everything I’ve used up— makeup, skincare, fragrance, body care + haircare.
How we doing fam? Not good? SAME. I keep oscillating between wanting to rage and putting my head in the sand and disassociating. I know most of my friends and so many of you are also feeling the deep overwhelm right now too. Just know you’re not alone, and I’m so grateful for this little community. Let’s distract ourselves, and talk about skincare, yeah?
I have been hoarding empties for far too long. Typically, I wait until I get about five and then post a reel on Instagram, discussing them. However, I let this get away from me, and then when Q4 hit it was complete chaos both personally and professionally. So instead, you’re getting a written breakdown!
*denotes that a product was sent as a Press Sample (PR) - where this gets complicated is that often I will get a product in PR originally and then buy it myself later. If the specific bottle I’m showing you was purchased by me, and discovered in PR, it is note noted as PR. Hope that makes sense!
Makeup, Fragrance, Lip + Eye Products
Tower 28 Makewaves Mascara (in Jet) - this is my favorite “event” mascara that gives volume, curl and length. It doesn’t flake at all, and is sensitive eye approved. Rinses clean with just water, even though its not technically a tubing mascara.
Merit Minimalist Foundation Stick (in Silk)* - Merit recently sent me a replacement in their new shade Chiffon which is a much better shade match for my fair neutral skin. Silk was always a hair too warm. I love this product because it’s easy to swipe and blend, and looks so skin like. I’m on my third tube of it!
MAKE Beauty Infinite Brow Nano Pencil (in Brown)* - this was my favorite brow pencil of 2024, and an immediate repurchase for me. I’ve been liking a more precise brow lately, and this isn’t too creamy that it disappears, but not so waxy and stiff that it is frustrating to draw hairs with.
Victoria Beckham Bitten Lip Tint (in Bisou and Cherie) - I love both of these lip tints— they feel like nothing, and are super comfortable. The shades are beautiful. However, they need to fix the packaging before I’d repurchase or recommend it, as the applicator tip just falls off before you can even finish the product.
MAKE Beauty Hyperboost Lash + Brow Serum* - I’ve now gone through two of these, and I’m so happy with my results. As someone who barely wears mascara anymore due to sensitivity, I wanted to focus more on growth, and I have noticed a difference in the amount of lashes, and the length! And with no sensitivity, as most lash serums make my eyes burn, or have the ingredient to darken the skin around your eye. This is free from prostaglandin analogues that can change your eye color or darken the skin around the eye too.
Phlur Missing Person Travel Size* - Technically I think I’ve emptied like five of these, because I use the regular size to refill them, but this the one I haven’t refilled yet. I love this scent, it stops my husband in his tracks, and I can’t stop reaching for it again lately! I just talked about it in a reel this week.
ANFISA An-Gloss Ceramide Lip Treatment* (code DEVSDAY for free shipping) - This is one of my favorite products of 2024 (as seen in my favorite posts). This truly feels like a lip serum, and hydrates my lips from the inside out. I love sealing it in with something occlusive.
Jordan Samuel Skin Performance Eye Gel - A long time favorite eye gel that is deeply hydrating, and has tons of tightening, depuffing and brightening ingredients. I have a couple other gels to use right now, but I will repurchase. You also get double the amount of normal eye products for a great price.
Naturium Vitamin Bright (in Light/Medium)* - A heavier eye cream that I love— it has a slight tint and a little glow to immediately brighten, and is super affordable. Definitely going to repurchase.
Cleansers
Mara Algae + Moringa Cleansing Oil - this is a pricey treat, but a beautiful cleansing oil experience!
MAKE Beauty Succulent Skin Face Wash - I really enjoy this light lather gel cleanser. It has no scent, great packaging. This is in top 10 faves for me.
The Outset Gentle Micellar Antioxidant Cleanser* - Another low foaming gel cleanser. This is super gentle and sensitive skin friendly, and does a great job at removing makeup. Not a top 5, but a top 10 favorite cleanser for me.
Tower 28 SOS Daily Hydrating Gel Cleanser - A low foam gel cleanser that was completely underwhelming to me. It was super watery (I really prefer cleansers that have some viscosity), doesn’t have added fragrance, but didn’t smell great. Didn’t remove makeup well, and also felt a bit stripping. Love the SOS moisturizer though for sensitive/acne prone skin!
Slurp Laboratories Gel Cleanser* - this is a fantastic gel cleanser. It has thick thickness and tackiness that Dieux’s Baptism has. Price wise, Dieux is cheaper and they’re so similar I would just repurchase that one instead of this. If you need to add something to cart though to hit free shipping, this is great.
Dieux Baptism (fragranced)* - One of my top two cleansers (Experiment Plasma Wash) is my other. I have several backups and I can’t live without this! It removes makeup fully. This would be amazing for people who just want to have one cleanser on hand.
Prequel Gleanser* - we know her, we love her. Affordable and multi-use, we use on face body and hands. For the size and price, this is a top 5 favorite cleanser for me!
Jordan Samuel Skin Matinee Cream Cleanser* - I love a cream cleanser in the winter, and this one has been a favorite for years. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and bouncy. It has silt to balance sebum while still nourishing the skin. A great cream for all skin types, including oily/acne prone skin.
Rhode Pineapple Refresh* - I really enjoy this as a first cleanse— again it has that thick tacky emollience to it where it just grips makeup and SPF and rinses it away. I think now that Dieux and Experiment launched, I prefer those— but it’s still a nice product. Just be careful around the eyes.
Essences, Mists + SPF
MAKE Micro Ferment Rice Essence - this is one of my favorite essences, but I think it’s being discontinued?? It’s been on sale for a long time (and still is!) Lightweight yet still really nourishing. I have always found it to be underrated and a great option for the seven skin method.
Rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid* - I really enjoyed this when it first launched, but since being more careful about not using products with pore cloggers, I don’t use it anymore. If congestion isn’t a concern, it’s a really nourishing essence!
Jordan Samuel Skin Hydrate The Mist* - Glycerin along with antioxidants and soothers, this product is one of my favorites for “cleansing” my skin in the morning. I spray a cotton round and wipe down my skin to keep my barrier happy. Already have a backup!
La Roche Posay Anthelios UV Mune 400 SPF 50+ - If you’ve been here awhile, you know this is my holy grail (hence the three tubes). It is a European formula, and I have the list of sites I buy it from here. It’s hydrating but not in a dewy way, it’s really natural. I can skip moisturizer in the summer, but in the winter I will wear something light under it. It’s one of those sunscreens that oily and dry folks both use and love.
Beauti-Filtr Feather Light SPF 50+ - I hate even sharing this one because it’s Australian and impossible to get anymore, but just wanted to show what I used up. UGH. I need to book a trip to Australia ASAP. If you’re in Australia this is INCREDIBLE, definitely pick it up— it’s a chemical sunscreen, with a super lightweight natural finish.
Serums + Moisturizers
ANFISA An-Dew Serum* (code DEVSDAY for free shipping) - I have been raving about this serum for years, and it’s a staple in my AM routine. It’s like a vitamin c, antioxidant, brightening and gentle exfoliating serum in one. It has 10% azaleic acid which really helps calm my rosacea redness. Pricey but I get a solid 5 months out of the smaller sized serum! And they sell a jumbo size too. This is a small, women-owned brand!
Sachi Skin Triphala Pigmentation Corrector* (code DEVAN15 for 15% off)- I have religiously used this pigmentation correcting serum for years. It still remains the most effective one I’ve used. Another small, woc-owned brand!
Summer Fridays Midnight Retinol* - My husband actually used this up. It’s a very gentle retinol that was a good starter for my husband, but I’ve since moved him up to the Naturium retinaldehyde. Honestly, there are way more affordable gentle retinol options out there suitable for beginners. I’d skip unless you just want to spend the cash and like the aesthetics/brand.
The Ordinary Barrier Support Serum* - This is a serum I love having on handy for when my skin is freaking out from using a new product, or I’m having barrier issues for any reason. I forgot to include this in my 2024 favorites and I regret it! So affordable too.
La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo - This is a very effective and powerful spot treatment. This tube is huge and I don’t recommend this for the face unless you’re going to be able to use restraint and not overdo it. But great for body breakouts!
Saltyface Tanning Water* - This is my favorite subtle and buildable face tanner for acne prone skin. It literally feels like water on the skin, has no scent, doesn’t look orange— just evens on the skin tone perfectly. Immediate repurchase. One bottle of this lasted me two years!
Phytosurgence Verdant Forcefield Moisturizer - This is a really nice mid-weight moisturizer by one of my favorite small Canadian brands. It reminds me of Stratia Lipid Gold but it’s stretchier and a bit heavier. Looks amazing under makeup!
Naturium Skin Soothing Recovery Lotion* (code DEVAN15 for 15% off) - This is a nice lotion for sensitive skin, and has a matte finish. I personally like something a bit dewier, but I think its great for sensitive and/or acne prone and oily skin.
Violette_FR C’est La Cream* (code DEVAN15 for 15% off) - While this feels lightweight in your hand, on the skin it’s quite emollient and feels more like a midweight cream. It is the perfect hydrating base for applying makeup over— which is no surprise given the brand is created by world-renowned makeup artist. I think this is too emollient for oily skin, better for normal to dry.
Merit Great Skin Serum* - This is an emulsion (oil meets water) serum that can work in the AM or PM as your moisturizer step, or on top of a moisturizer. It’s acne safe, and was meant to be a nice emollient base to blend their minimalist stick into. I like this, but don’t often reach for this type of product as I just have other things I like better.
Tower 28 SOS Moisturizer - This was formulated with Sofie Pavitt, who is the acne whisperer esthetician. Acne safe, great for rosacea, eczema and sensitive skin. It’s a lightweight, whipped airy gel-cream that I like for day time, especially in the summer.
Jordan Samuel Skin The Performance Cream* - This is a light to midweight cream, that is like Vanicream’s daily cream but amped up with more antioxidants and peptides. The adult version if you will. It’s an immediate repurchase and one of my most used moisturizers. I love this in the morning in the winter, but can also layer an oil or balm over this in the PM during winter, or use it alone in the PM during summer.
Body Products
Bioderma Atoderm Shower Oil - I really enjoy this body wash, although I wish it wasn’t scented. However, I much prefer Naturium’s Glow Getter body wash, which is just a better version of this. Awesome for winter + shaving.
Trader Joe’s Brazil Nut Body Wash - This smells like the rest of this line, which is incredible and meant to be a Sol De Janeiro doop. However, this body wash doesn’t lather that well, has a thick pasty texture and feels drying. The scrub, body butter and body oil are amazing, but this is a pass.
Saltair Body Oil (in Exotic Pulp)* - this body oil is my favorite. Luxe scents, great packaging, nourishing but not heavy or sticky body oil. This scent is a bright citrus that is perfect for summer. I have a few other scents to work through, but always have this product in my shower.
First Aid Beauty Nourishing Body Oil* - I didn’t love this. I think it’s expensive for the size. It smells like lemongrass, which is a scent I personally loathe— and doesn’t mesh well with any other fragrances I wear daily.
Naturium The Glow Getter Body Oil* - This is my other favorite body oil of 2024. It’s a bit more nourishing than Saltair, and slightly pricier. It has a slight tropical scent.
P20 Suncare for Kids SPF 50+ - This is our favorite body sunscreen for summer (for the whole family!!!). I buy a few each year for us, and some for my sister and neighbors. This has to be bought from European sites as it is a Danish sunscreen. It lasts for up to 10 hours, and 3 in the water. We have never had a sunburn while using this!! I can’t recommend it enough.
Mitchum Triple Odor Defense Deodorant - I have tried every natural deodorant on the sun, but they don’t stop the sweat. I switched back to aluminum in 2023, and haven’t looked back! I love this, and recommend it to everyone.
Prequel Foot Rescue* - I’ve always loved urea and salicylic acid for foot treatments, but never had one that combined the two. This has 15% urea, salicylic acid, malic acid and petrolatum to exfoliate and soften the driest, cracked heels. This is a forever repurchase.
Hair Products
Necessaire Rosemary Shampoo + Conditioner (Strengthening)* - I used these up, but felt like they made my hair very dry, which then felt like it gave me more breakage. Maybe I should have alternated them with a non-strengthening shampoo. They didn’t wow me for the price, other than smelling and looking luxe.
Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask - This has been my favorite hair mask for years, and I already repurchased. However, I’m loving the new Dove Bond Strength mask which is very affordable and gives similar results. The Dove has a strong scent though, and this one doesn’t.
Kristin Ess Volumizing Mousse - This is my holy grail styling product, and it has been for years. It gives great hold, volume and frizz control. I love using this then finishing with a cream. Already have backups.
Bumble & Bumble Curl Defining Cream* - I really enjoyed this curl cream. It’s on the heavier side, which I need for my super thick hair. It took me a solid 18 months to finish this! I probably wouldn’t repurchase because I’m on the hunt for a more affordable option.
Okay, this was quite long— but let me know in the comments if you discovered any of these products through me! I’m always so curious.
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This brought me so much joy to read!!! I felt like I was in a conversation with a friend about all these products and I loved it. Knowledgeable and informed but not too much ❤️
Love a good empties post, but the detail you bring makes it so much more than that!